This is the fast swing-dancing part of the competition. It is, to quote my friend Mitchell, sheer liquid joy watching this. Note to short-attention-spanners: this clip is 7 minutes and 24 seconds long, not 3 minutes. Don’t just watch and click away, thinking you’ve “gotten it” in a couple of minutes. The joy just keeps expanding and expanding and expanding as the time goes on. Incredible! It approaches the athletic, messy (and yet totally controlled) manic GLEE in that famous scene from Hellzapoppin’. These dancers must be all over black and blue after each competition. They are THROWING each other around. Wonderful!
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That was awesome, amazing. I am sitting here with a big smile on my face a solid minute after the video ended.
I know, right??? It just keeps getting funner and crazier – listening to the crowd scream is almost as good as watching the dancing!!
I didn’t get much sleep last night due to barking dogs & this put me in a foul mood. While watching this I broke out with belly laughs and found joy in the morning. I watched both this and the Hellzapoppin’ video.
Thanks you.
When I was in middle school in the mid 1950s a travelling dancing school visited our burg & my mother enrolled me…so, I spent a week in the summer at the Local Elks club learning how to foxtrot, waltz & a version of the Hop. Nothing like this joyful dance. My father had Dixieland band & played the standup bass. If there is anything I regret in my life it is never learning how to play a musical instrument a & dance the Lindy Hop.
Bless you
Kellyofsiam – You are so welcome! I had a bit of a rough day yesterday myself, and this clip totally put a huge grin on my face. Glad it worked the same way for you.
I used to swing dance, but nothing like this. Makes me want to take some classes again.
What is it about this clip that makes it such totally infectious fun? It’s so insane, I thought I was going to break a hip just watching it. I saw this at the start of my work day and now I’m in a perfectly fabulous mood. Thanks, Sheila! Sheer liquid joy, indeed.
Good for whatever could possibly ail you!
Thanks so much.
Holy shit!
I was sweating just watching this. Man, that looks like fun :-)
Well, I hate to be a dissenter. I enjoyed this for what it is, but my parents were competition Lindy Hoppers and I know what the Lindy is supposed to be! Problem here is the stiff music. No Rhythm! The dancers come off as great acrobats, but mediocre LindyHoppers. No fluidity, no rhythm.
Your parents were competition Lindy Hoppers? That is so damn cool!!! Do you have any pictures?? I think there’s an energy in the “originals” that cannot be captured in those who do it now (although I fully appreciate those who want to keep that flame burning – bless them) … but you see that clip from Hellzapoppin’ and you realize what you are missing in the current day.
I just love that your parents competed in lindy hopping. Do you have memories of them working on routines, etc.? I have such respect for dancers who do this!